They are signed to the Wichita Recordings label, and have currently released 5 albums through this imprint - 'The Cribs' (2004), 'The New Fellas' (2005), 'Mens Needs, Womens Needs, Whatever' (2007), 'Ignore The Ignorant' (2009), and 'In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull' (2012).
Despite starting off as an underground band, The Cribs have experienced commercial success with 'Mens Needs, Womens Needs, Whatever' charting at #13 in the UK album charts, and 'Ignore The Ignorant' achieving the band their first Top Ten album, charting at #8. They also have 7 top 40 hit singles to their name, the most successful of which being 'Men's Needs' (#17). In 2008, Q magazine described The Cribs as "The biggest cult band in the UK".
The Chi-Town Songfacts says that The Cribs' fifth studio album, In the Belly of the Brazen Bull, was recorded at London's Abbey Road and Chicago's EAR studio with famed lo-fi rock engineer Steve Albini and Tarbox Road studio in New York with David Fridmann (Mercury Rev, The Flaming Lips).
After some hard times during which they were (according to an interview in DIY Magazine) "nearly losing the rights to their entire back catalogue, and coming close to calling time on the group entirely," in 2020 they released the album "Night Network."
I Should Have Helped
The Cribs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I understand, remember
The man on the street is wrong
Again
I used to think I knew something that
No one else knew
I was a fool
Just couldn't tell
I should have helped out
And the times you'd wait
Outside the coin exchange
With ghosts and rain
You were lost when the cloud came down
My friend
When a loved ones dead
You look at the sky
In a different way, but that's ok
'Cause perfect things still can break your heart
That's not to say
I'd ever change that
There's always still quilt
"I Should Have Helped" is a poignant, reflective song by The Cribs that deals with regret and missed opportunities. The first verse establishes the context, with the singer urging someone not to take something back under any circumstance. The second line, "I understand, remember," suggests that the singer has made a similar mistake in the past and is projecting that experience onto this situation. The third line, "The man on the street is wrong," is more ambiguous, but it could refer to the person who needs help being perceived as a "nobody" or a "loser" by others.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's personal regret. They used to believe they had a special insight or knowledge that no one else had, but they realize now that they were just clueless. The line "When a lonely voice in a lonely town/Just couldn't tell" suggests that the singer was confronted with someone who needed help but didn't know how to ask for it. As a result, the singer did not offer assistance and feels guilty about it now.
The chorus shifts to a more general reflection on the nature of grief and loss. The third line, "You were lost when the cloud came down," is a particularly evocative image - the "cloud" could refer to a sudden, overwhelming emotion or realization, or it could be a metaphorical representation of depression or anxiety. The final two lines suggest that even when we experience something perfect or beautiful, it can still be heartbreaking, and that's okay - but the singer would not change anything about their experience of loss, because it is an intrinsic part of who they are.
Overall, "I Should Have Helped" is a song that deals with complex emotions in a raw and honest way. It speaks to the universal experience of regretting missed opportunities to do good, while also acknowledging the inevitability of feeling pain and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
You should take it back in no circumstance
Under no condition should you retract your statement
I understand, remember
I comprehend and recollect what you are saying
The man on the street is wrong
The person living on the streets is mistaken
Again
This is a recurring pattern
I used to think I knew something that
I formerly believed that I had knowledge that
No one else knew
Others were not aware of that information
I was a fool
I was foolish to believe that
When a lonely voice in a lonely town
Whenever a solitary voice in a desolate place
Just couldn't tell
Was simply unable to communicate
I should have helped out
I should have offered assistance
And the times you'd wait
During the instances when you were waiting
Outside the coin exchange
Outside the currency conversion office
With ghosts and rain
Amidst apparitions and rain
You were lost when the cloud came down
You were bewildered when the atmosphere darkened
My friend
Alluding to an acquaintance or companion
When a loved ones dead
Once a beloved person is no longer alive
You look at the sky
You gaze at the heavens
In a different way, but that's ok
In a unique manner, but it's acceptable
'Cause perfect things still can break your heart
That's because flawless things may still cause emotional pain
That's not to say
That doesn't mean
I'd ever change that
I would never modify or alter that
There's always still quilt
There's always the feeling of guilt that remains
Contributed by Ethan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.